the wars of the roses were a series of english civil wars for control of the throne of england fought between supporters of two rival cadet branches of the royal house of plantagenet : the house of lancaster , associated with the red rose of lancaster , and the house of york , whose symbol was the white rose of york .

it also involved Cause_to_be_included a dynastic power struggle Hostile_encounter between powerful noble families in the line for succession to the french throne : the wealthy , ambitious , and fervently catholic ducal house of guise ( a cadet branch of the house of lorraine , who claimed Statement descent from charlemagne ) and their ally anne de montmorency , constable of france ( i.e. , commander in chief of the french armed Bearing_arms forces Hostile_encounter ) versus the less wealthy house of UNK ( a branch of the house of bourbon ) , princes of the blood in the line of succession to the throne who were sympathetic to calvinism .